British teenager Emma Raducanu has produced yet another exquisite performance to become the first-ever qualifier to reach the US Open semi-finals, defeating Olympic champion Belinda Bencic 6-3 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Down an early break, the Briton recovered swiftly to win four straight games and close out the first set that included seven forehand winners and three aces.
Like Raducanu, Bencic had reached the last eight without dropping a set at Flushing Meadows, but she struggled with her first serve and misfired a pair of costly double faults in the opening set.
Raducanu maintained her momentum in the second set, fending off three breakpoints in the second game.
A frustrated Bencic handed Raducanu a break with a double fault in the fifth game and her frustration boiled over as the match progressed, with the Swiss smacking her racket to the ground.
Down 0-30 in her final two service games, Raducanu kept her nerve on both occasions and soaked up the cheers of the New York crowd, after triumphing in a nine-shot rally on the final point.
"Playing Belinda, she's such a great opponent," Raducanu says. "Her ball speed definitely caught me off guard, because she hits the ball so hard."
The 18-year-old, who reached the Wimbledon fourth round on her Grand Slam debut just two months ago, has so far won all 16 sets she has played from qualifying through to the semi-finals.
She is the second teenager to make an impact in the women's draw this week, with 19-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez also reaching the last four.
"To have so many young players here doing so well just shows how strong the next generation is," adds Raducanu, who delighted young fans by taking selfies with them, before walking off court.
"Everyone is on their trajectory. I'm just here taking care of what I can control and it's my own journey at the end of the day."
Reuters
